winstonjen

My gripe is mostly with associations like the AMA who aren't at the front lines of medical care and yet have the gall to preach ethics to the rest of them.

They say, "Do no Harm", and hook patients on life support against their will to make more money. Same with painkillers, although they hold back on enough morphine.

The Oath also prohibited abortion and women practising medicine - which shows how outdated the Oath is.

How dare they say they still believe in it? Following a part of an Oath is like not following it at all. These words of hypocrites are disgusting, and make me sick.

Amie

I think "preaching ethics" is primarily a positive...

I disagree here. I don't think people intentionally keep patients on life support to make money. More often than not, it is the family of the patient who ultimately decides. It would be hard to let go...

I agree the Oath is rather outdated..

not necessarily. compare it to religions. people adhere to some doctrine and not others. Doesn't mean they don't follow all of it...

trientalis

Please forgive the nitpick, but shouldn't that be "Hippocratic Oath" (named in honor of the ancient Greek physician Hippocrates, according to Britannica.com)?

I found a link you might find interesting:

<a href="http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/doctors/oath_classical.html" target="_blank">http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/doctors/oath_classical.html</a>

Back to lurking.

winstonjen

Sorry, I can't spell big words like that!

trientalis

Oh, by the way, any doctors and nurses here want to comment on the oath?

Amie

I'm a registered nurse. I was a trauma nurse for years before getting into teaching biology. Although the oath is old I feel some of the principles are valuable such as treating the patient to the best of ones ability and preserving patient privacy and so on and so forth...

[ December 05, 2002: Message edited by: Amie ]</p>

lpetrich

Here is <a href="http://www.usask.ca/antharch/cnea/DeptTransls/HippOath.html" target="_blank">a very literal translation</a>.

It does not forbid ALL methods of abortion, only attempting to insert a stone or some similar object into the womb in order to induce an abortion.

Also, it has some impractical provisions, like charging no fee for instruction.

And last, but not least, it has some Hellenic paganism.

[ December 05, 2002: Message edited by: lpetrich ]</p>

winstonjen

I realise that, but from my knowledge, they CLAIM to follow it. That is what I can't stand.

winstonjen

But it also forbids prescribing a dangerous or lethal drug. Wouldn't drugs that can cause abortions fall into this category?

I think that the patient's wishes should trump those of the family in that case.

[ December 05, 2002: Message edited by: winstonjen ]</p>

dangin

I work at a major medical center, and school of medicine. My father is an M.D., my mother is an R.N. One of my three bosses is an oncologist. I think doctors are extremely practical for the most part. And I think modern medical ethics is derived from real, modern situations. The oath is tradition. But here, the first years take a new oath, based on the original at the start of their school careers that is all about learning, integrity, and professionalism.


Besides, in our current society, I think lawyers, and insurance companies do a better (or worse) job at keeping doctors on their toes than any oath.

The thing that drives me far more crazy are the overtly religious docs. Granted they are few and far between, but I want a scientist to participate in my health care, not a faith healer. I had a family practice doc recommend that I read Lee Strobel's The Case for Faith, I did and now I wouldn't send my cat to that doc if her logic was swayed by those arguments.